Ian Stafford
Ian spent his teenage years playing in Bandon Golf Club
where he went on to represent the Munster Boys Team in 1998 and 99 and the
Irish Boys Team in 1999 and 2000. A Career in the game was always beckoning and
after Ian finished school he started his PGA apprenticeship in 2000 under Paddy
O'Boyle in Bandon before a move to Kinsale Golf Club in 2003.
In 2006 Ian took on the role of Juvenile Coach in Kinsale Golf
Club and along with Junior Officer Ger Cullinane has transformed the Junior
Section of Kinsale Golf Club into one of the most successful in the country
producing multiple Munster and Ireland representatives over the last
10 years, the Munster Junior Golfer of the Year Award in 2014, 2015 and
2016, the Kerry Boys Winner of 2014, 2015 and 2016, the Munster Boys winner in
2016, the Munster Strokeplay Winner in 2016 and also the Munster and Leinster
Youths titles in 2017.
2006 saw Ian turn to full time golf coaching under the Ian
Stafford Golf Coaching
brand after being
appointed Head Teaching Professional at Innishannon Golf Range.
Ian was appointed ILGU Munster Provincial Coach in 2007 and has
worked with some of the finest Lady Golfers in Ireland in the last 10 years. In
2009 Ian took on the role of National Team Coach for the Ladies European
Championship in Slovenia and the Ladies Home Internationals in Scotland. Ian
was also coach to the Irish Girls Team at the European Girls Championship in
Italy in 2011.
PGA honours were awarded to Ian in 2012 being made a PGA
Advanced Professional for his achievements in coaching.
In 2015 Ian was awarded the UKSCC Level 3 Sports coach
certification and is now one of a select few to hold PGA Advanced Status
and The Level 3 Award in Ireland.
Spring 2017 will see Ian take on the Role of Head Teaching
Professional at Lee Valley Golf and Country Club where he will continue to
combine his roles with Innishannon Golf Range and Kinsale Golf Club.
August 2017 has seen Ian appointed as a Munster Provincial Coach
with the Golfing Union of Ireland.
November 2017 Ian has been awarded the Certified Putting
Instructor Qualification.
March 2018 Awarded PGA Fellow Status by The Professional Golfers
Association
Dec 2018 Achieved Biomechanics of Golf Certification through
Penn State University
November 2019 Completed level 1 of Elite Performance
Coaching Certification
April 2020 Completed level 2 of Elite Performance Coaching
Certification
September 2020 saw the 20th victory of an ISGC coached player in
WAGR ranked events.
March 2021 Appointed Golf Ireland High Performance Pathway
Manager for the South of the Country
2022 Gained Accredited Coach Status on the PGA Tour and DP World
Tour